Category: book review

August 9, 2021

A Lady in Attendance Book Review

In A Lady in Attendance, Rachel Fordham pens a tender tale of a soft-spoken man, a hardened woman, and the friends that stand by them as they work toward a common purpose.

About A Lady in Attendance

As Gilbert becomes accustomed to the pleasant chatter of his new dental assistant, he can’t help but sense something secretive about her. Perhaps there is more to this woman than meets the eye. Can the questions that loom between them ever be answered? Or will the deeds of days gone by forever rob the future of its possibilities?

Rachel Fordham pens a tender tale of a soft-spoken man, a hardened woman, and the friends that stand by them as they work toward a common purpose–to expunge the record of someone society deemed beyond saving–and perhaps find love along the way.

My Thoughts

A Lady in Attendance is the tale of a young woman who has had to fight the world for freedom from her past, a future that she deserves free of persecution and the forgiveness of those who have hurt us.

Rachel was wrongly accused in her past and served a very severe punishment that caused her to lose her future, her family and everything that she cherished. The years that she served also taught her many important lessons – the importance of family, valuing the time that we have with the people around us and the importance of forgiveness and faith. She finally starts believing in the future when she meets Gilbert, a man who has devoted his life to his dental practice and carrying on his Father’s legacy.

When love starts to blossom, Rachel must face a difficult decision – should she tell Gilbert her past and risk him leaving her? Or should she trust in the relationship that they are building? It is with the friendships that she builds in this small town, that she is able to believe in her future again and the chance that she may be reunited with her family and clear her name.

I loved every moment of this story, Rachel is an incredibly bright, funny young woman and despite her past, does not deserve the stain on her name. She is as deserving of a future full of love, family and happiness as any other woman. Our past should not define our future and it is with the strong friendships she builds in the small town, that she begins to believe again and forgive those who have hurt her. This is a definite must read novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Rachel Fordham is the author of The Hope of Azure Springs, Yours Truly, Thomas, and A Life Once Dreamed. Fans expect stories with heart and she delivers, diving deep into the human experience and tugging at reader emotions. She loves connecting with people, traveling to new places, and daydreaming about future projects that will have sigh-worthy endings and memorable characters. She is a busy mom, raising both biological and foster children (a cause she feels passionate about). She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 9, 2021

Dinos vs. Machines

Have you ever wondered if a velociraptor could outsprint a motorcycle?

Learn more in Dinos vs Machines, as 10 dinosaurs face off against 10 machines.

About Dinos vs. Machines

In this book, you will learn about the strengths and weaknesses of each dinosaur and machine. Discover the pointy horns of the triceratops, the scorching speeds of a motorcycle, the bat-like wings of the pterodactyl, and the digging power of the bulldozer and so many more. Then, turn the page to discover what a showdown between the two giants would look like. Each battle is sure to get your heart pounding and put you on the edge of your seat.

But pay attention because you will decide the winner! Experts share their winners at the back so that you can check your answers to find out if and why you’re right.

Our Thoughts

In this epic, brightly designed children’s book Dinos vs. Machines, Team Dinosaur faces off against Team Machines. Top Team Dinosaurs include Spinosaurus, Argentinosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Stegosaurus and T.Rex, while our Top Team Machines includes tank, motorcycles, snowmobile and monster trucks.

Each battle between the dinosaur and machine has two pages dedicated to the battle stats for each of the battles and a two page spread that depicts their battle. The winner? While you can guess who will be the winner while reading the book together, the winner results can be found at the back of the book.

We loved learning about the stats – I actually learned about a few new dinosaurs (Argentinosaurus – I have never heard of this one before!) and it was neat to learn about things like when they lived, their heights and weights. The battles were appropriate and well matched together, because your first thought was like how could these two groups battle together being so different? Our favourite battle was between Ichthyosaur vs submarine, as they dove together and battled in the depths of the ocean. The illustrations were beautiful, bright and we loved the comic like design of the battles and illustrations. It really helped to bring to life the battles and the strength of both the dinosaurs and the machines. Dinos vs. Machines is a great, fun book for young children who are fans of dinosaurs and machines as they get a chance to learn about both and look at them from a new perspective. The book gives children the chance to choose the winner, and I love this interactive feature as it encourages them to use what they know and apply it to crown a winner (or to go with what their heart believes!).

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Indigo.

About the Author

Eric has written over a dozen books for children, such as the #3 New York Times best seller Disney’s Descendants: The Novelization, which he wrote under pseudonym (and anagram) Rico Green. He was born and raised in Summit, New Jersey, and earned a creative writing degree from the University of Miami. He lives in Los Angeles.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

July 6, 2021

Darkness Hides

Someone she knows is watching.
Someone she knows is stalking.
And something hides in the darkness.

About Darkness Hides

Someone she knows is watching.
Someone she knows is stalking.
And something hides in the darkness.

With a Category 4 hurricane about to make landfall, boat safety instructor Kate Parks is running out of time. Bodies are piling up–and they’re not from the raging storm. An injury may have ended her career as a Fish and Wildlife officer, but nothing can keep her away from the investigation.

And it doesn’t take long for her to see that the clues have one thing in common: a connection to the recent death of her five-year-old nephew.

In a brewing storm of rage, guilt, and family secrets, Kate fights to protect her grieving sister just as the hurricane threatens everything she knows and loves. But before her world is completely ravaged, she must uncover one final truth:

Run from the water.
Hide from the wind.
Flee from the shadows where a weeper seeks revenge.

My Thoughts

Darkness Hides is an intense novel from start to finish, that leaves you on the edge of your seat and never knowing quite what to expect next.

At the center of our story is Kate’s family and the death of her nephew. Her nephew was killed in a car collision due to a drunk driver on the wrong side of the road. This has split the family apart but as you read the novel, you don’t realize exactly how far and how many people his death has touched. Slowly, individuals involved in the legal team that defended the man who killed her nephew, start to turn up dead and an item is left at each crime scene, one that Kate is not quite sure how to interpret but is pointing to her own family.

Who is the killer? With so many possibilities, you are left on the edge of your seat. Kate wants to protect her family but can she mentally handle the outcome when the evidence points at the possibility of one of her own family members taking revenge into their own hands?

Who is trying to protect her family? In all of this madness, death and even an incoming hurricane, there appears to be someone trying to protect Kate and her sister. But who loves them enough to do so? Who knows enough about their past to want to protect them?

I loved how our characters and plot developed throughout the story. I did not want to put the novel down as the story evolved so quickly. You learn a little bit more about each person’s past and the connection they have to Kate and her nephew. You are guessing who you think could be the murdered but you realize that you don’t ever truly know what is going to come next (which to me is the best part!). It is an intense story of guilt, forgiveness and even mental illness. The ending blew me away but it was a perfect ending for this story. This is a definite must read novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Sun Bury Press.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

JC Gatlin lives in Tampa, Florida, and writes mystery novels that include sunny Florida locales and quirky locals as characters. His last novel, H_NGM_N: Murder is the Word, won the coveted Florida Royal Palm Literary Award for Best Mystery in 2019. He is active in the Florida Writer’s Association and is a board member on the Florida Writer’s Foundation, a charity organization that fights illiteracy.

You can connect with him on his website and Facebook.

Book Trailer

The Giveaway!

You can enter to win here.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

July 2, 2021

A Duke in Time Book Review

A Duke in Time will have you rooting for leading heroines, searching for lost dowries, and falling for swoon-worthy heroes.

About A Duke in Time

Katherine Vareck is in for the shock of her life when she learns upon her husband Meri’s accidental death that he had married two other women. Her entire business, along with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a royal supplier, is everything she’s been working for and now could be destroyed if word leaks about the three wives.

Meri’s far more upstanding brother, Christian, Duke of Randford has no earthly clue how to be of assistance. He spent the better part of his adult years avoiding Meri and the rest of his good-for-nothing family, so to be dragged back into the fold is…problematic. Even more so is the intrepid and beautiful Katherine, whom he cannot be falling for because she’s Meri’s widow. Or can he?

With a textile business to run and a strong friendship forming with Meri’s two other wives, Katherine doesn’t have time for much else. But there’s something about the warm, but compellingly taciturn Christian that draws her to him. When an opportunity to partner in a business venture brings them even closer, they’ll have to face their pasts if they want to share each other’s hearts and futures.

My Thoughts

A Duke in Time is an excellent read from start to finish with a plot unlike any other.

Katherine, the wife of a younger brother to the Duke of Randford, was too busy running a successful business to worry about her husband that took off on her wedding night. So when she finds out about his accidental death, she is upset but not heart broken. What comes as the real surprise? He had two other wives! But who is the first wife? And who has any rights in this very tricky situation? And to top it all off, enter Christian, the Duke of Randford, who has spent his life cleaning up after his half brother and even in his passing, he is still doing the same.

I fell in love with our two main characters both who have risen from difficult pasts to try to carve a new future. Christian refuses to be like his Father and step brother, and is hesitant to love and marry. He had also just returned from war and these experiences have taught him a lot about life, the value of human life and inequalities that exist in society. He is determined to help all those who fought for their country but when they returned, they are forgotten because of their social status in society. These soldiers are offered no work, no compensation and are left to suffer with the after affects of war. Katherine had a difficult past, most of which she has spent a lifetime lying about so that she can maintain her successful business and continue to grow (also while helping women in similar situations!). You can feel the attraction between these two characters and they are so perfect for each other, the only problem? Christian’s step brother. Would it even be appropriate for Christian to fall in love with Katherine? Does this make him any better?

A Duke in Time is well written, romantic novel full of mystery and suspense. You can’t help but fall in love with the two main characters, while also hoping to learn more about our other two mysterious wives. A definite must read novel that does not disappoint!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She is the author of the Cavensham Heiresses series, which begins with The Bad Luck Bride.

Janna credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes. She is the mother of triplets and lives in Kansas City with her very own dashing rogue, and two smug, but not surprisingly, perfect pugs. She loves to hear from readers.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 24, 2021

Taking Notes on Murder Book Review

Can Fiona crack this cold case, and what will it take to get Detective Landry involved? Don’t miss taking notes on this murder!

About Taking Notes on Murder

Mysterious notes are showing up in Fiona’s kindergarten classroom, claiming a suicide from 2005 was actually a homicide. Detective Landry maintains the messages are too vague, possess no integrity, and do not warrant a review of the old case.

Fiona’s not convinced. She’s determined to find the author of the enigmatic notes and uncover the truth about a man who had many secrets and countless enemies, including Fiona’s mother and former suspect Nancy Quinn!

Can Fiona crack this cold case, and what will it take to get Detective Landry involved? Don’t miss taking notes on this murder!

My Thoughts

Taking Notes on Murder is a whirlwind murder mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Fiona is back at it again in this novel, this time the case is an old cold case that was deemed a suicide but had the makings of murder written all over it. Fiona is receiving mysterious notes in her kindergarten classroom eluding to the possibility that James Arnold did not commit suicide but was murdered instead. At first, the notes are not enough to open the case but when someone physically threatens Fiona, Nate quickly steps in to ensure the case is opened and investigated fully. The only problem? James Arnold was quite the hated man – with so many potential murder suspects, how will they solve the case in time?

I enjoyed every moment of this novel – it keep me constantly guessing who the murder suspect could possibly be and I loved how each story was connected. James’ life crossed many pathways with others in this novel in very different ways (and so many times in a negative manner). He was very much a hated man at the time of his death (to the point his wife was celebrating his death instead of mourning him!). So many of those people are still around when the case reopens and the bigger question is who disliked him the most and who could have murdered him. And why were they going to Fiona for help?

This is a well written novel, whose characters I have grown to love (Fiona is just the kindest, funniest and clever young woman that you can’t help but love). The plot, while serious, has flares of humour that make the story a bit lighter. This was a great read, I kept reading right through the night as I had to know who was the murderer and why they committed the crime (I have to admit, I was a bit shocked at the end and I did not see that coming and the reason why he committed the crime). This is a definite must read novel!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Audible.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries. Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries has nine books.

Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy!

Cindy resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.